The Pirate baseball team completed their second straight 2-1 week in Western State Conference play with a come-from-behind 7-4 victory over Cuesta Saturday at Pirate Park. Fabian De La Barcena had a three-RBI triple and Shane Gipson also knocked in a run in VC's four-run seventh inning to turn a 4-3 deficit into a 7-4 advantage. Blake Campbell threw three scoreless innings in relief to pick up the win for the Pirates (11-11, 4-2).
VC scored first when De La Barcena's two-out singled scored Steele Ledford, who led off the inning with a double. The Cougars responded, however with two runs in the second inning and another in the third to take a 3-1 lead.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Ledford tied the game with one swing, knocking a two-run home run out of the park. TJ Foreman scored on the paly and the game was tied at 3-3.
Cuesta had another answer in the top of the sixth, scoring another run to take a 4-3 lead, setting the stage for the Pirate comeback.
In the bottom of the seventh, Ledford, Dayton Provost and Rudy Aguilar all singled to load the bases. One out later, De La Barcena cleared the bases with a triple to put the Pirates ahead for good. Gipson followed with an RBI single to set the final margin.
Ryker Kennepohl started on the mound for Ventura,pitching six complete innings allowing four runs, three earned, on just five hits. He struck out six Cougars in keeping the Pirates in the game. Campbell cam on in the seventh, allowing two hits and no runs over three complete for the win.
VC next takes the field on Tuesday March 20, beginning a two-game set with Allan Hancock College at 2:30 pm at Pirate Park.